03.25.07

Our destination was much further than Kade Deurali, the place near Pokhara from where the rain and snowfall had begun. From Ulleri we had to travel to Poon Hill, then to Ghandruk through Tadapani. On the occasion of the tenth Nepal-Korea joint painting exhibition, we had a wonderful trek in the Annapurna region.

Clearing the walking trail

We had to reach Poon Hill with an altitude of 3,210 meters. After deciding that we would proceed only if there was no more snowfall that night, we went to sleep. It took 2 hours for us to reach Poon Hill which is actually 1 hour ascend from Ghodepani.

A restaurant’s courtyard

Ghodepani

Mount Annapurna range

Mt. Fishtail

The sunrise had already matured when we reached there. Some were lying around in the snow, others were splattering it about. The peaks of Macchapuchhre, Dhawalagiri and Annapurna were playing ‘hide-and-seek’ among the thick clusters of fog.

Deurali

A Korean photographer in Deurali

Tadapani

At dawn the next day, we left for Tadapani. We saw buffalos shivering in the cold while moving ahead in the snowy layers. The snowy scene was like Caravan movie.

Way to Ghodepani

Way to Ghodepani

Way to Ghodepani

Way to Ghodepani

Ghodepani

Way to Ghodepani

Ghodepani

A view from Poonhill

A Korean tourist group at Poonhill

On the way to Poonhill

We also had to walk sideways in fearing that the snow collected atop trees would plunge down and bury us. When we reached Deurali, severe snowfall left no option but to rest somewhere. We were compelled to stay that night at Bishwakarma Didi’s Hungry-Eye lodge in Banthanti. We rested there in the midst of the snowfall and our friend’s knee-ache. It grew so cold in the night that we were forced to sleep with our entire clothes on.

Drinking water project house in Ghodepani

Ghodepani…. An artist shows Machhapuchhre he painted.

Ghodepani

Ghodepani

Ghodepani

Ghodepani

Tourists on the way to Tadapani

Taking some rest at Deurali

Mount Annapurna

Snowfall at Lumle after 30 years

A Korean artist sketches portrait of a child at Nayapul

The three hours journey from Tadhapani to Ghandruk through Bhainsi Kharka-Sitkyu took us nearly five hours due to snowfall. Though it was called the ‘village of model Gurung homes’, the increasing concrete jungle was very obvious to the eye. Only in the morning rays of the sun, as we were leaving Ghandruk, we did feel that we had left behind the long association with winter.

Thanks for these great pictures!!!These reminds of our past treaking to Annapurna circuit with my more than 25 Nepalese friends from National college of Engineering. Its a very amusing place in Nepal and I suggest each Nepali to reach to at least to Punhill.

These pictures remind of our trip to ABC. climbing hills for continious 7 days are obiviously very hard but those gorgeous views, landscape, culture, people and the good moments together with friends are hard to forget.